Cycling expert to sign his books Saturday at Motorless Motion

The sixth annual Le Tour de Mont Pleasant is ready to roll into Mt. Pleasant for three days of racing, opening on Friday and running through Sunday.

This now annual event has grown exponentially over the years and has become one of the best racing weekends in the state of Michigan. This year alone between 600 and 700 participants are expected to take part in the event.

On Saturday one of the participants, Jamie Smith of Rochester, will be signing his cycling books from 6-7:30 p.m. at Motorless Motion in downtown Mt. Pleasant.

Advertisement

Smith, a 1986 CMU graduate, has been active in the sport for over 30 years and has authored two books on it. His 2008 book “Roadies” looks at the life of cycling enthusiasts and made the List of Notable books in 2009 by the Library of Michigan.

His most recent book “Reading the Race”, which came out last September and was co-authored with USA pro racer Chris Horner, looks at numerous aspects of the sport, ranging from how to assemble the best team and crafting strategies around the team, course, and rivals. Additionally the 256 page book also touches on pack protocol and etiquette, reacting instantly to common scenarios, breaks, echelons, blocking and finishing in the prize money or on the podium.

“My first book (Roadies) is a primer for people who don’t understand why I have nine bikes while my second book (Reading the Race) is about tactics and strategies used in bike racing,” said Smith, who is also one of the top racing announcers in the country. “The sport just appeals to me personally because I like the speed and the strategy that go into it.”

Whether you’re a novice, professional rider or just a fan there’s plenty to be learned about racing and Smith’s newest book will surely enhance your overall riding IQ.

“In a nutshell cycling has gotten very scientific in its training methods in the last five years,” Smith added. “But we went back to the basics and wrote about that, like how to get through a corner properly and how to properly breakout or block for the team.”

Smith, who races in 10-15 events per year and announces four or five, will compete in Sunday’s 50-mile road race and has become fond of Le Tour de Mont Pleasant.

“This event is highly popular because (racers) are impressed by events that have a good core of people running it,” he added. “We look at events like this as gold.”

Costs for a signed edition of “Roadies” is $20 while “Reading the Race” will be $18.95.

About the Author

Jim Lahde has been with The Morning Sun sports department since 1997 and has been its Sports Editor since 2006. The Wixom native has covered everything from Little League to the big leagues. Reach the author at jlahde@michigannewspapers.com
.